Aurelie Godet / Oxfam

Questions about working at Oxfam

Answers to the most frequently asked questions about working at Oxfam.

Yes. When you search for any job vacancies, you will be given the option to sign up for jobs email alerts.

If you already have an account created on our new applicant tracking system, please update your login details here. If you have not yet created an account, you can do so here.

You can find all the latest vacancies and jobs information in our jobs pages. You can change the language on the page to French and Spanish should you need to do so. For advice on how to apply please read our guide.

Unfortunately, we do not accept speculative applications. Please apply for specific posts that match your skills and experience or sign up for email alerts for the role types you are interested in.

Oxfam is required by law to ensure that all of our staff have the legal right to work in the country that they are employed in.

Right to work in the UK:

Our ability to gain a UK work permit for potential employees from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) depends upon several factors. This includes the type of visa a candidate may currently possess if they are already resident in the UK and the skill level of the job advertised. In certain circumstances Oxfam may help to support a candidate in their first steps to obtain a work permit if we can demonstrate that we could not recruit for a position from within the EEA.

The Home Office requires potential candidates to meet specific criteria, including qualifications, English language ability, earnings, and maintenance.  These will be accessed via a points-based system. To see if you have the potential to meet the criteria, please visit the UK Border Agency website

If a candidate is able to meet the level of points required by the Home Office and is the successful candidate for the role, Oxfam will be able to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship. A Certificate of Sponsorship from Oxfam is a unique reference number that can help individuals secure the right to work for Oxfam GB in the UK. Issuing this number is the first stage of the application process to enter and work in the UK and will support the Work Permit Application, although does not guarantee the Home Office will issue one.

Similar rules apply in many countries other than the UK.

Yes, you can apply for an unlimited number of jobs, but please ensure that you meet the criteria for each post you apply for and also that you finish and submit one application before starting another. Please note that although your CV will from your personal profile may be pulled through each time you apply for a new position.  We encourage our applicants to tailor their CV to the specific criteria listed against each position they apply for in order to increase their chances of being shortlisted.

Sometimes when you submit your application it will still appear as 'Incomplete'. Check that you have completed all the sections and wait 24 hours for your uploaded documents to be received. Please ensure that you have completed the declaration and submission section.  If after 24 hours your application is still 'Incomplete', please contact the Resourcing Team via our email address, recruitmentteam@oxfam.org.uk. We aim to respond to queries within 48 hours, but we will typically reply sooner as we know that most requests are of an urgent capacity.

Once your application has been submitted, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you have registered on our website. To ensure emails from Oxfam are delivered safely to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add oxfamgbjobsdonotreply@oxfam.org.uk to your address book. This email is not always instantaneous, so please wait 24 hours from the time you submit your application.

We won't accept applications once the deadline has passed.

At this time, Oxfam GB does not offer a graduate scheme. We encourage all graduates to set up email alerts and apply for positions that match their skills, as well as considering undertaking an internship to gain relevant work experience.

First, ensure cookies are enabled on your browser, and check that your browser is compatible with our job application system:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, 8 or 9
  • Firefox 10
  • Google Chrome 12
  • Safari 5 (PC only)

Please also look at our How to apply guide. The current applicant tracking system does not allow PDF documents of CVs to be uploaded, so please choose an alternative format.  If you have uploaded your CV and it is not showing on your application, please check again in 24 hours. If your CV is still not showing, contact the Resourcing Team via our email address, recruitmentteam@oxfam.org.uk, who will help you with your technical issue. Please note that although we strive to answer every email as quickly as possible, it may be a week before you receive a response, particularly if you make a query over the weekend.

The deadline for all posts is midnight UK time on the advertised closing date, unless otherwise specified on the job advert. You will not be able to submit an application after this time.

Oxfam aims to ensure that our recruitment process is fair and accessible to everyone. If you have a disability and need an adjustment made to any part of the recruitment process, please use our email address, recruitmentteam@oxfam.org.uk, to let us know. Oxfam makes adjustments on an individual basis to help ensure that individuals can demonstrate their best for Oxfam.

Oxfam welcomes applications from people with disabilities and will offer guaranteed interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the role they applied for within the UK. If you have any questions or concerns about how will we use any information regarding a disability please email recruitmentteam@oxfam.org.uk.

You will be notified by email or telephone regarding the outcome of your application. This will normally be within two months of the position closing date, but this often varies due to the high level of applications we receive and depending on Humanitarian crises we are involved in. 

If you have not been notified of  the outcome of your application three months after the closing date, please email the contact email address that has been sent to you in the application completion email.

No, Oxfam GB never asks for upfront payment or bank details to pay for interviews, travel, psychometric testing as part of the initial application process. If you are asked for this please would you report it to the resourcing team. However, successful candidates may be asked for their bank details once they have accepted a position with us to allow salary payment to take place.